The Tale of the Marauders  Halloween and Firewisky
by Bam McCrudden
Summary: The story of the Marauders. With Halloween here everyone is excited for the Halloween dance but with Gideon and Fabien around you know it's going to be an exciting and fun filled night.
1. Halloween

**The Tale of the Marauders - Halloween and Firewiskey**

**Halloween**

October was nearing the end, with fast winds yet bright brilliant sunshine still gleaming over the castle grounds. The once green leaves were now different shades of brown, orange and yellow and Halloween was fast approaching. One of the most important days in the wizerding calendar. There was an unnatural buzz in the air with the Halloween dance just days away.

Wednesday evening had arrived far too quickly and James was doing his Potions homework with Minerva.

"How come everyone's got dates except us?" James erupted.

"Us? You're including me in this?" Minerva answered.

"Well me, you and Sirius" James replied "anyway who's everyone else going with."

"Why do you expect me to know everything" Minerva said glaring at him. "Ummm… Remus is going with Amelia Bones from the second year, you know in Hufflepuff? She's the one with red hair, very pretty." Minerva added. "Peter is going with Bortha Jorkins. You know in the third year? Bit plain if you ask me." Minerva seemed to like to comment on everyone they talked about and quiet often what she said was true.

"So has Sirius asked you yet, I mean he likes you" James said.

"Yes but that doesn't mean I like him, in that way, I mean" she fell silent, looking in to the common room fire.

"What? I thought you liked him?" James looked at her stunned. Did this mean he had a chance with her? 'Cause there was no chance with Lily. He was so confused at how his heart skipped a beat whenever he saw Lily and Minerva.

"Me like him? Yeah right, I like someone else but you don't know him" Minerva said not looking at James as she said the last part. James considered his words carefully and how best to approach his next question.

"You're a girl right" James said as if it sounded like a question Minerva looked down and replied. "On last checking I still was so yes"

"Do you well, only if you want to, you don't have to but...?"

"Ummm…" Minerva said looking up at him in interest.

"Do you want to" James began but Minerva cut across him.

"You know it's my birthday on Halloween" she said looking slightly happier "But seems like Sirius has completely forgot. First year he's actually forgot; not that I care of course" Minerva added casually. There was a long pause in which James looked at her but Minerva still looked in to the fire.

"Minerva, do you want to go to the ball with me?" James asked. His heart was beating so fast he thought it would explode. She looked at him in a loving kind of way and said "Yes." She now had a wide smile on her face and she practically jumped on him and gave him a big hug. James heart skipped a beat and his stomach did a summersault.

Thursday came and went and last lesson was double Potions with Professor Slughorn. He tended to walk around the class examining the contents of their cauldrons and would often stop to chat to the more gifted students in the class.

"It's a pity you're not in my house, I have all your cousins and your brother's coming up next year is that right?" Slughorn asked pompously not waiting for an answer from Sirius, he continued "It's Regulas right I just hope I get him" He sighed as if he was a collector that had been denied a piece from a rare and valuable collection. Then Slughorn headed over to the other side of the classroom to talk to Lily and Severus Snape.

"I hate that boy." James snarled looking in Snape's direction.

"So do I. He's an idiot! I don't understand how Lily can be friends with him." Sirius continued backing up James statement.

"Do you guys mind? Some of us are still friends with 'that boy' even if you don't like him." Minerva said angrily.

"Yep and why do you guys hate him so much? What has he ever done to you?" Remus said, quickly not meeting Sirius' or James' eye as he said this.

"The fact that he's alive" James said savagely.

"Well there has to be a better reason than that." Peter turned around in his seat grinning at them.

"Class pack away and just leave when you're ready" Came the booming voice of Slughorn. Everyone cleared up and left the classroom gradually.

"Severus, Lily, wait up" Minerva called after them and rushed over to join them.

By the time the rest of the class had left the classroom Minerva, Lily and Severus appeared to be deep in conversation, so Sirius, James, Peter and Remus waited at the other side of the dungeon corridor. Lily left and glared at James and Sirius in disgust. This left Severus and Minerva continuing their conversation. James was filled with rage but stopped himself for Minerva's sake because he knew that no matter how much he loathed Snape she would never allow him to hurt him in anyway 'well unless he deserved it' he thought. They both looked over in James and Sirius's direction and Snape pointed said something to her. Minerva looked at him and punched him on the arm in a friendly sort of way. Severus went through the door at the end of the corridor in a hurry.

"You're not going with him are you?" Sirius asked as she approached them.

"No of course not, he's going with Lily to the ball and no I'm not going with you. I'm already going with someone" she said smugly, looking at Sirius then to James.

"Then who are you going with?" Sirius asked.

"That would be me" James said looking at Sirius "Sorry mate. Do you want me to ask Mary for you?"

"Yeah that could work. She's not plain. You wouldn't suit plain girls and on the plus side she has black hair and brown eyes and I know how much you like girls like that" Minerva said in a matter of fact tone. They all turned to her and said "Shut up."

"Thanks you lot. Maybe your right Fang, she seems like a nice girl. I'll go ask her myself" and Sirius hurried off towards the Great hall.

"James, I wish he would stop calling me that. I'm not that fond of it. I'm so glad everyone else calls me Minerva." James smiled at her as they headed to the Great hall as well.

Friday was lazy and many people didn't get up till lunch time.

At five o'clock everyone went up to their dormitories to get ready for the ball. Sirius wore crimson dress robes, Remus wore emerald green and Peter wore navy blue. James opted for a traditional black with red detailing.

Soon they all made their way down to the common room. It looked extremely odd seeing a load of different colours instead of the usual mass of black. Sirius made his way over to Mary who was wearing light pink dress and had her hair perfectly straitened. Standing in the corner of the room was Minerva, she kept pulling at the bottom of her black dress and touching her hair to make sure it was still in the same place. Her hair was set in to small ringlets that shaped her face, she looked very beautiful.

"Hi," James said "you look nice." Minerva looked up at him

"Thanks I thought I looked a bit… ummm… girly. I hate wearing dresses"

"No you don't look too girly, you look really nice." James said trying to comfort her.

"You think?" Minerva said giving a weak smile.

"Yeah! By the way happy birthday, what did you get?" James said clutching her present that was in a box in his pocket.

"Well I got this necklace from Remus." pointing at the golden hart shaped locket round her neck. She opened it and showed James the two tiny pictures that were already put in it; one was a picture of Remus and Minerva a week after they first arrived at Hogwarts, and the other of all of the first year Gryffindor. Lily and Mary were giggling with a bunch of other Gryffindor girls, James and Sirius had their arms around each other's shoulders smiling up at them, Peter was standing in the corner of the picture deeply immersed in a book and Remus and Minerva were standing in the middle of the picture smiling and laughing. As James looked at it he was filled up with happiness.

"Umm Bellatrix got me this charm bracelet, Peter got me a book about vampires and Remus also got me a book on werewolves. Lily got me this ring" she pointed at the ring on her finger.

"And what about Sirius" James asked.

"He didn't get me anything, but Minerva, my Aunt." James looked at her puzzled, he still couldn't get used to the fact she called Pr. McGonagall by her first name or that she was related to someone who was the complete opposite of her, she noticed the puzzled look on his face and then continued.

"Ok, McGonagall got me book called 'Quidditch Through the Ages' it's the new updated version with info and all the newest broom releases and most recent league tables in England and Ireland." Minerva said.

She checked her watch "Oh look, it's nearly seven. We had better go down to the entrance hall" Minerva grabbed hold of James' hand and they ran through the portrait hole and down to the entrance hall, which was now full. They stood on the stairs looking down in the direction of the dungeons. James caught sight of Remus standing next to a redheaded girl wearing a white dress. She had her hair in a tight bun at the back of her head. James guessed that this was Amelia Bones. Minerva had been right, she was very pretty. The dungeon door opened; all the Slytherin's emerged and they all were wearing black. Next came Slughorn who was accompanied by Professor Swooly. She was wearing a dark purple dress and her blonde hair was hanging round her face, this made her look angelic.

"Wow! Swooly looks hot!" James said not thinking

"I thought you might say that." Minerva said turning to him and grinning. "I helped her pick it."

"Really I would never have guessed?" James replied smiling at her.

Minerva turned her back on the scene and leaned back resting her arms on the balcony behind her.

"I hate dances; I could be doing much better things with my time"

"Oh sorry am I too boring for you?" James said sarcastically

"No, it's not that, I just… Sirius has pretty much ignored me all day and the only time he did talk to me he was hating on Snape. He didn't even wish me a happy birthday." She looked really angry, then turned and looked at James "We have been friends for years and he doesn't even wish me a happy birthday, some friend he is. What the hell is wrong with him James? What is his big problem?"

"I don't know" he answered not meeting her eye, knowing the answer to the question, some guys just acted very odd at time, especially to the ones they liked.

She looked around and then looked down "Sirius is coming over." She was now playing with her hands and fiddling even more with her dress. Minerva looked up with panic on her face she grabbed James and kissed him and he kissed her back not knowing what else to do. They then parted and looked around to see a very shocked Sirius looking at both of them. He clutched Mary's hand as if he needed something there for support. Minerva then grabbed hold of James hand and dragged him past Sirius, giving him a very smug look. They both proceeded down the stairs holding hands and joined Remus and Amelia.

"Minerva seriously, what was all that about?" James asked

"I am so sorry! I didn't know what else to do, and I panicked" she replied looking down at her feet. Remus looked up the stairs looking at where Sirius and Mary were, he then looked back at Minerva.

"I'm guessing he still hasn't wished you a happy birthday?" Remus said looking slightly amused.

"No he hasn't." Minerva replied just as the doors to the great hall opened.


	2. Gideon and Fabien Crash In

**Gideon and Fabien Crash In **

The students started to enter looking around at the Great Hall, the teachers table had been replaced by lots of little tables with black table cloths and all the teachers were seated around them. Around the edges of the hall were the same tables with orange table cloths on them. Lots of little chairs were cramped around them and in the middle of the hall there was a dance floor. There were hundreds of pumpkins hanging in the air. No-one took seats but stood there in silence as Dumbledore got to his feet and said "Without further ado let the dance begin!" He clapped his hands and a band appeared on a stage in the corner of the dance floor. It was 'The White Rabbits Cauldron' a very popular wizard psychedelic band who had toured with the greats of the muggle and wizarding world in the late sixties.

James, Minerva, Remus and Amelia took their seats with Kingsley and Deon, Deon was Kingsely's cousin who was also a second year boy, who was at a table near the doors to the Great Hall. They were joined shortly after by Sirius and Mary.

"This sucks." Sirius said taking the empty seat in-between Minerva and Remus "We're not even old enough to drink."

"Ha. But we are!" Came a familiar voice behind them. It was Gideon and Fabien

"Hurry up Podmore." Gideon said turning around to look at the boy who was walking over to them; he looked very, very fat for a boy who had been quite weedy looking only hours before. Remus looked at all three of them saying "Do I even want to know?"

"Why yes you do my friend." Gideon replied with a grin on his face, pulling out a bottle from the inside of his robes and placing it down on the table.

"Now who wants some Firewhiskey?" Fabien asked looking at all of their shocked faces. Podmore, behind them, took off his robes that were filled with bottles of drink to reveal the weedy boy in nice dress robes that they were all familiar with.

"Store them under the table." Kingsley instructed.

"I'm off to spike the punch" Podmore mumbled taking two bottles of Firewhiskey with him.

"And how may I ask did you get all of this?" James asked looking at Fabien.

"Hey don't look at me"

"You do not want to know what I had to do to get all this" Gideon shuddered as he said this.

"I really think we do" Deon said crossing his arms and smiling at them.

"Let's just say Madam Rosmerta pays well" Gideon said looking quite ashamed of himself.

Deon took the bottle of Firewhiskey and downed half of it, looked around the room then nudged Kingsley saying "Emmeline Vance looks lovely tonight." He then proceeded to get up, walk over to her and ask her to dance.

"Her date does not look impressed!" Kingsley said as they watched him start dancing with her while her date went over to the punch to get a drink.

"I think some of this needs to get handed out." Gideon says just as Marlene McKinnon walked past him "Right after I do that!" he said pointing at her. Gideon followed her and asked her to dance.

"Oh dear she's laughing at him, not a good… No wait they are kissing! My brother has officially, and finally, pulled Marlene!"

"How long has he been after her?" Sirius asked looking at Minerva as he said it.

"Her first year, so, five years" Fabien replied still looking at his brother "And yes, they are leaving the hall, he has pulled!"

"Hey Amelia, do you want to dance? I mean if that's ok with you Remus?" Kingsley asked.

"Yeah that's fine go for it" Remus replied as Amelia beamed at him and whispering "Thank you" to him before her and Kingsley made their way to the dance floor.

"Why did you do that?" James asked.

"We were only here as friends and Kingsley has been really good to me so…" He trailed off looking up at where the teachers were sitting. The tables were all empty as they were all dancing.

"So? Anyone up for getting wasted?" Sirius asked, knowing the answer and handing everyone a bottle of Firewhiskey.

"I am so going to drink more than you without being sick!" Minerva said taking a bottle.

"You are so on!" Sirius replied.

Sirius and Minerva were sitting opposite each other with a small group of people surrounding them, two shot glasses had appeared in front of them.

"Ok the rules are:" A Ravenclaw called Benjy Fenwick, who was in Fabien's year, was talking through the rules. "No being sick. If you're sick you lose. You have to finish the bottle or more of the bottle than your opponent to win. No magic aloud. Do you both understand?" Sirius and Minerva nodded. Snape and Lily stood next to James.

"James, who do you think is going to win?" Lily asked looking from Sirius to Minerva

"Honestly, Minerva is." James said eyeing up Snape with suspicion.

"Well she has been drinking with the Prewett's since she was eleven" Snape said smiling as he said this. "They gave her her first drink."

"Fill your glasses" Benjy instructed. "Start when you're ready."

Minerva did her first two shots and refilled her glass for the third before Sirius hadn't even finished his first one. They had both finished the bottle of fire whiskey within half hour at the same time. A few of the group moved to the dance floor as to not draw attention to Minerva and Sirius. They decided to see who the true champion is to do another bottle.

"I really don't think that's the best idea." Kingsley said as he walked passed them towards the punch to get drinks for him and Amelia.

Shot One

"So how are you this fine evening?" Sirius asked

"You should get drunk more, you're more polite" Minerva responded

Shot Two

"I am sorry for not saying happy birthday."

"I'm sure you are." Minerva said frostily

Shot Three

"No I really am, I mean I was just being"

"A tosspot?"

"No, well yes."

Shot Four

"Can I ask you a something?"

"Ok" Sirius said looking up at her

"What is your problem?"

Shot Five

"I don't quite understand?"

Shot Six

"I mean you ignore me for days, why?"

Shot Seven

"I don't no 'cause, I guess?" Sirius trailed off

"Is this 'cause someone asked me to the dance or?"

Shot Eight

"No it isn't at all…."

Shot Nine

"…well maybe a little bit"

"Well ask me before someone else does!" Minerva retorted

Shot Ten

"I will"

"Really?"

"Yeah I will!"

Shot Eleven

"Jesus I cannot do this anymore!" Sirius coughed

"So I win!" Minerva said taking the twelfth shot, getting up and falling into Fabien.

"Can I ask you one thing?" Sirius said then continued without hearing an answer

"Why kiss James?"

She bent over, inches from his face and said so everyone around them could hear

"I'll do anything to wind you up, I love to see you annoyed!"

Fabien then grabbed her by the hand and lead her to the dance floor just as a slow song started to play. Sirius led Mary and started to dance with her. After two songs Minerva and Fabien had disappeared in to the rose garden that was located just outside the front doors. James looked at Lily who merely said "Alright, we'll follow 'em. I'll see you hopefully soon Severus" She said giving him a hug before following James to the garden.

Entering the rose garden they could see Pr. Slughorn and Pr. Swooly in deep conversation patrolling the garden. Two figures rolled out of one of the bushes.

"For god sake Gideon!" They heard Pr. Swooly say helping him to his feet "If you're going to do that, have a little class and take it up stairs!"

Gideon helped Marlene to her feet both wearing embarrassed faces.

"Off with you now." Slughorn chuckled.

As the both of them reached the steps to the entrance hall, a bottle narrowly missed Marlene's head. She caught sight of one of her friends and then rushed up the stairs. Gideon turned around to see who had thrown the bottle. It was Lucius and his gang of Slytherin's.

"Hey mate, just lay off will you?" Gideon said

"No we won't!" Yaxley retorted. He was a little bit shorter than Malfoy but he had an arrogance about him that no one else surrounding him had.

The next thing anyone saw was Gideon punching Lucius in the face and Lucius doing the same back. Gideon's friend King joined in and so did the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team as well. A few Hufflepuff's including the Bones boys, Edward and Edger, and Podmore, who proved no help at all, and Benjy from Ravenclaw who was giving it all he had. Slughorn approached the group trying to calm them down and received a glass bottle over the head from Travers, a burly fifth year who looked like a wall, knocking him out cold.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else?" Fabien suggested, he leaned in and kissed Minerva, who slapped him round the face instantly. As she stormed off past the fight, that was in full swing, several other teachers were now trying and failing to break up the fight. Meanwhile Dumbledore and McGonagall were standing at the doors of the great hall chuckling, obviously they had been on the Firewhiskey as well. Mary came storming out of the Great Hall and Sirius was following her.

"So basically you were using me to make Minerva jealous!" She shouted at him

"No, I never said that!" Sirius shouted back. Mary stopped and turned to face him looking angry with tears streaming down her face.

"Yes you did! I should have known! You're a horrible person Sirius!"

"No I never said that!"

"I heard you telling Remus!"

"I didn't mean it like, I mean." He was trying to explain himself without success. Minerva had stopped half way up the stairs to listen at what was going on.

"You lied to me Sirius!"

"Oh my god, get over it!"

"Get over it! Get over it!"

Not much more was heard as Sirius bent over and was sick on her shoes, she grabbed hold of Lily who had been standing with James near the door and made her way up to the Gryffindor common room.

"I'm going to go find Remus and I'll meet both of you up in the common room." James said heading back into the Great Hall.

The fight was still in full swing behind them and looked like there were no signs of letting up.

"Hey, do you just want to go up to the common room?" Sirius asked turning to look at Minerva; she looked so beautiful even if her hair was a bit of a mess.

"Yeah, umm…let's do that." she answered.

They walked in silence in till they reached the fifth floor.

"Ahhhhh, I hate men!"

"Wow thanks Fang! Now I really wish I didn't have balls." She shot him an angry look; she really did wish he wouldn't always call her that.

"Sorry." Minerva said looking up at him. There were tears in her eyes but he wasn't sure if it was from the Firewhiskey or not. "I mean, why do they do stupid things?"

"Like what?" Sirius asked, not really liking where the topic of conversation was going.

"You know"

"No I don't know"

"Well… Like get into fights and think it's cool to try and kiss you and just be… Just be"

"Twats?" Sirius asked

"Yeah! I just don't understand it, at all."

They had reached the corridor to the fat lady, Sirius looked at Minerva, there were silent tears pouring down her face. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her tightly towards him, she didn't seem shocked by this. Her arms wrapped around his neck, one hand entangled in his hair. He felt such warmth from her and didn't understand why. Minerva had always been his best friend, the only girl who would give him the time of day. The only girl who didn't want him and yet he wanted her to want him, it was a strange thing, a strange feeling. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, trying to give her some form of comfort. He was at least a head taller than her. Sirius didn't know why he did it but he kissed her forehead.

"It's ok, really it is, not all guys are twats, just most of them." She looked up at him with wonder and amazement, she had stopped crying now.

"Why did you do that?" She asked.

"I'm not quite sure." He said looking down at her worried. Had he done something wrong? She had had a bad enough night as it was, he didn't want her to think he was coming on to her or anything like that. But to his shock she kissed his collar bone, he suspected she may have wanted to kiss him higher up, but he didn't mind if it was just his collar bone, it was better than nothing.

"Why did you do that?" He asked looking down at her with great interest.

"I'm not quite sure." she answered.

The hand that wasn't entangled in his hair lowered and landed on his hip, she was still looking up at him. Her hand that had been on his hip was now on his back, he kissed her forehead again, then moved down to her nose. He had never noticed the little freckles that were there before now. He wanted to kiss it again. Then just as he was about to, her nose met his and their lips touched, if only for a second. He didn't want it to be like this, not with her this upset and with both of them this drunk. Minerva looked down at her shoes and Sirius felt embarrassment course through him, and he felt her shiver. She looked back up at him, biting her lip. He leaned in and kissed her. He had kissed a girl before, Sirius had got through a few girls already, but this time it felt different. This kind of kiss was different, it wasn't about lust or looking cool, it was about just him and her and no-one else. It felt like the world had stopped for a few short moments. Then as soon as it had started it was over and she had let go of him, walking through the portrait hole and into the common room without him.

"Crap." He muttered under his breath. Heading towards the fat lady all he could think about was Minerva and how stupid he was at times.


	3. Aftermath

**Aftermath **

Sirius had fallen asleep on the sofa in the common room, he had a blazing headache, sitting up he tried remembering the night before. Sirius placed his head in his hands, oh god, what the hell happened last night.

"Good night Sirius?" he heard James voice ringing in his ears

"James, can you not speak so loudly, my head is killing me"

"I'm not surprised, you were a state last night" James sat in the comfy arm chair and looked at him, leaning forward he began to speak quietly. "Well so were most people"

"What happened last night?" Sirius asked looking up from his hands

"Ha, what didn't happen last night" James replied

Sirius looked up at him in interest.

"Well Deon is in the hospital wing along with Runcorn, Travers and Yaxley. To be honest that Yaxley had it coming."

"What happened to him?" Sirius asked

"No one really knows" Fabien said, he had just entered the common room fully dressed in his muggle cloths, there was a Hogsmead trip for all the students third year and above. "But that Travers got a fire extinguisher to the head"

"How?"

"Yeah who carries one of them around?" Sirius said starting to feel a bit better.

"Someone must have summoned it; my bets are on Little Fenwick"

"Oh that guy from Ravenclaw" Sirius remembered.

"Yeah, he's a cool guy" Fabian replied "anyways, were is Minerva, I need to apologize for last night, she probably thinks I'm an idiot"

"A twat actually" Sirius replied, surprised by how much was coming back to him.

"Oh right, I should talk to her"

"Wait till after breakfast, she gets cranky if she doesn't eat" Sirius said.

"Well then, off to breakfast it is then, you have to see this epic scar that Gideon got last night from Lucius" Fabien said with a huge grin and look of pride on his face.

"I have to see that, let's go" James replied, heading for the portrait hall. Sirius slowly got up and followed James and Fabian down to the Great Hall.

James entered the great hall to see Deon and Kingsley in deep discussion, Dean looked pretty good even with the black eye and several cuts across his still handsome face they went and joined them, Mary was sitting opposite them. Sirius gave her a little smile to which she shot him a look of disgust and stormed off.

"What's her problem?" Sirius asked.

"You don't remember last night?" Minerva asked seating herself in-between Lily and Kingsley.

"No I don't, and James won't tell me anything" Sirius said, looking slightly angry.

"Do you really want to know?" Lily asked giggling

"Yeah, just tell me"

"You were sick on her shoes" Lily told him.

"Wow, I was wasted last night" Sirius said putting his head on the table.

"Yes you were" came the voice of Gideon behind him "look at my scar" he said excitement in his voice. He put his arm on the table and everyone leaned over to look at the huge scar that was all the way down his arm.

"Very manly" Marlene said kissing him on the cheek and taking the seat next to James.

"Ooooooohhhh" everyone said in unison, Marlene blushed and looked down as Gideon slid into the seat on the other side of her, kissed her lightly on the cheek and put his hand around her waist as he started to eat toast with his other hand.

"So last night was successful for some people" Remus said looking a little bit worse for wear.

"I guess Firewhiskey doesn't agree with you" Lily said getting up and heading for the doors of the hall to where Snape was standing. Remus took her seat next to Minerva.

"No it doesn't" Remus replied as the whole hall, well all the Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's started cheering.

"Benjy, get over here you small thing" Gideon called over the noise, Little Fenwick raced over and received several handshakes and pats on the back, he squeezed himself in-between Gideon and Fabien who had entered with James and had sat there quietly just eating toast.

"Well done Little Fenwick, fire extinguisher to the head, golden moment" Gideon said

"Yeah well" Benjy said looking quite smug.

"Little Fenwick, small but deadly" Fabian said.

"Yeah putting Travers In the hospital wing is pretty epic, how did u manage it, he's twice the size of you" James said.

"Correction he's built like a wall, so three times the size really" Minerva said.

"A little thing called a summoning charm may have helped, what I don't get is how Runcorn ended up in the hospital wing, he came out of the fight fine."

A little couth came from Remus's direction and everyone turned to look at him.

"Umm….I may have had something to do with it" he answered looking down at his feet.

"What did you do?" Fabian and Sirius asked at the same time, Remus looked up flashed Minerva a cheeky smile and replied "I may have cornered him, after a spell narrowly missed Kingsley and Susan, and beat him to a pulp"

"Jesus, Lupin, didn't know you had it in ya" Gideon said patting him on the back before he went back to kissing Marlene who seemed to be beaming at the fact she had such a heroic boyfriend.

"You two are sickening, get a room" Sirius said throwing a pile of napkins at him.

"Just cos you didn't get the girl last night Sirius, doesn't mean you have to be so moody to the rest of us who did" Gideon said after resurfacing and glaring at him.

"Sorry, just really really hung-over" Sirius said

"Yeah Sirius, it's not your fault you didn't get the girl last night" Minerva said looking at Remus who gave a knowing look that everyone except James missed.

"Where is Peter?" Marlene asked kindly finally pulling herself away from Gideon.

"We all have no idea, I'm sure we will find him, eventually" James said looking at Sirius and both of them burst in to fits of laughter.

"Are you going to go looking for him" Minerva asked looking up from her toast.

"Yeah ok, I suppose we should, come on Sirius, Remus" James said getting up from his seat, Sirius followed suite; they went to leave then stopped and looked at Lupin.

"Umm…Remus, are you coming with or not" Sirius asked.

"No, ummm…. I have some things to do before I go visit my mother, she's ill you see and I have to pack some things to take with me, you know cos I'm aloud special visits"

"Oh, ok, well hope she feels better soon mate" Sirius said patting him on the back and following James out of the great hall in such for Peter.

Kingsley looked up from his paper and looked at Lupin "I'm sorry to hear your mothers ill, send her my best wishes" he got up and started to leave stopped then came back, Remus wondered what he was going to say, he passed him the paper he had been reading and whispered so that only they could hear "nice cover story" he straightened up said "have a look on page 6" gave him a little wink then left heading in the direction of the Hufflepuff common room.

Lupin sighed opening the paper to page 6 he chuckled at the photograph that had been placed in there by Kingsely, he pocketed it. The news story on the same page was about a brother and sister that were currently in St. Mungos because they had been attacked by a werewolf, authorities feared it was well known werewolf Fenrir Greyback who was described as "vicious" Minerva's voice rang in his ears, obviously she had been reading over his shoulder again, "I think that's an understatement"

"What is?"

"That Fenrir Greyback is vicious, that's being kind" she replied bitterly, looking down at her feet then to the ceiling. Remus could feel his blood boil at the very thought of Fenrir Greyback, he despised that creature, Greyback wasn't a human in his eyes, he was so far from being remotely human anymore, he had embraced being a werewolf and had let the condition consume him and change him, Greyback hated humans. Lupin had decided a long time ago that he would never be like that bastered.

"Are you ok" Minerva asked, looking at him.

"Yeah, of course I am" wondering why she had asked him.

"You sure, you look a bit…"

"A bit what"

"Never mind" Minerva looked worried, maybe I shouldn't of got so defensive Remus thought to himself, but he wanted to know what she meant.

"A bit what?" there it was again, being defensive, why did he keep doing that.

"I'd rather not discuss it here" she said looking more worried.

"Well then we will go some were else" he replied knowing the perfect place.

"Ok then"

Without looking at anyone else they had been seated with, they both got up and made their way out of the great hall and out the front doors.


	4. Secrets and Lies

**Secrets and Lies**

They left the entrance hall through the front doors and entered the rose garden that was full of bright sunlight and an unnatural amount of couples, the cold wind blew Minerva's hair into her face while Remus pulled his jacket tighter around him, luckily on weekends they could wear their muggle cloths.

"So where do u want to talk" Minerva asked as they walked through the rose garden and around the court yard to a bridge.

"Over here, just follow me" Remus answered, his heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest, what did she want to speak to him about. They walked past the gamekeeper, Hagrid's, hut and to the edge of the forbidden forest, he stopped in front of a tall willow tree, it was swaying even though the wind had stopped. Remus felt a sense of guilt and looked up at it with a mixture of sadness and hatred in his eyes. Remus turned to face Minerva who looked very confused.

"That's the womping willow, were not meant to go near it at all"

"I know" Remus said looking down at his feet feeling more guilt fill him, he was going to betray Dumbledore's trust, but he trusted her, and maybe she had figured it out, this was the third time in three months he was going away, maybe everything had just clicked into place she was smart enough, one of the smartest in the year.

"Remus we really need to talk"

"I know" he said sitting down in front of it, it didn't attack, it was like the tree recognized him, understood him, they were both different, Remus looked up at it and smiled, Minerva sat next to him and did the same, they sat in silence together for a long time.

"There is something different about you, and I think I know what but…"

"But…?"

"But, I don't want to say it, just in case, you get, you know"

"Offended"

"Yeah"

"Minerva, just say it, I think I know what you're going to say" he said looking to Minerva then back up to the tree.

"Remus you go away every month, it's like I said your different, you're a werewolf" she turned to look at him, she had said it with such conference and no fear in her voice at all, he felt very taken aback by this "oh god you're not, I'm such a"

"No, its fine, your right, I am" Remus looked at his trainers "but you can't tell anyone"

"I promise, I won't, it's a secret and friends keep secrets and tell lies for their friends" Minerva said smiling at him.

"How did you figure it out, other than the obvious I'm away every month around the full moon." he asked her, intrigued at how she had figured it all out.

"Well that and the fact you always look ill or tired and it finally clicked this morning at breakfast, you are the most non-violent person I have ever met and you beat someone to a pulp, there is always going to be those little bits of rage there, you are going to have wolf instincts and that's what I picked up on"

"Oh right"

"Yeah"

"Can I ask how you know so much?"

"About what?"

"Werewolves"

"Well u also got me a book about them, which I have read by the way, and my parents, were, just" Minerva began.

"Just what"

"They brought me up to accept everyone for who they are"

"They sound nice" Remus said, getting a lump in his thought.

"They were, they did everything they could to get equal rights for what the ministry call half breads, for werewolf's, vampires, part werewolf's, part vampires, part giants, just everyone"

"That's really cool"

"Yeah, who, I mean do you know who bit you?"

"Yeah, my father told me just before I came to Hogwarts, it was Fenrir Greyback, I was very young when it happened, and I try not to remember it"

"But it's difficult because it's always in the back of your mind"

"Yeah exactly" Remus looked back up into the tree branches; he felt Minerva's hand slip into his he looked down at their hands then to her face which was shinning with tears.

"Fenrir Greyback is, he, he gives people like you a bad name. He hurts people, he kills people"

"I know" Remus didn't quite know what she was getting at but knew she would tell him.

"I don't have any parents because of him" Remus looked at her shocked, tears streaming down her face.

"Why would he"

"Because….he hates the world Remus, he hates humans so no matter what we do, he will hate us. I have no idea what my parents did to him, but they offended this dark wizard and now they're gone" she looked down at her feet, Remus began to stroke her face and she laid her head on his lap.

"When was this?"

"Summer, Sirius knows all about it but, I don't want anyone else to know, I don't want to be known as the girl whose parents were murdered by Fenrir Greyback do I"

"Do u think I want to be known as a werewolf"

"Not really"

"It's like you said, we have secrets and friends tell lies to keep their friend secrets"

"Yeah"

She looked up at him and grabbed his face looking straight in his eyes.

"You have to promise me, you will never end up like him, like all of them, please just promise me" she sounded desperate and he couldn't quite understand why.

"I promise, I promise you, I will never change, I won't be like them or him." Remus felt himself say. Remus took her hands from off his face and placed them down, he could hear the distant sound of Gideon and Marlene getting up to something. There was an odd silence for a few moments then Remus found his voice.

"You know, one day, I'll show you were I transform"

"Wow Remus, you're so romantic at times"

"Shut up"

Minerva sat up and looked at him saying "no I really mean it, very romantic"

"You're such a dick"

"Yeah well, what can I say I'm a dick and you're romantic" Remus could hear the teasing in her voice.

"I think back to the common room"

"Yeah I was going to suggest that"

They both got to their feet and made their way back to the castle both laughing and giggling as the bright blue sky turned to a deep gray, bringing rain through the rest for November and eventually snow during December.


End file.
